It’s a race to get up for the bus at 8 am again. This time it’s Mike accompanying me to do some shopping, but when we get to the bus it’s full – until someone points out the two little folding seats at the front. I sit right in the front, dicing with death as the bus driver hurls it around corners, going on the other side of the road for no apparent reason although thankfully he doesn’t seem to do this when there is oncoming traffic. We arrive at the mall without incident.
We do less shopping than yesterday then I leave Mike, and Judith and I go off to look for bikinis. I have decided that yesterday’s really is a bit small so I need the next size but when I look in the shop I realise why the sales lady so insisted that size M would be fine – she has no size L. I should have guessed.
Getting everybody’s shopping back on the bus is a bit of a squeeze but is managed. Luckily, some people get taxis back so there are less bodies to squish in as well. Unfortunately we arrive at the canal at the time when a series of ships is passing through and we have to wait nearly an hour in the bus before the road opens to let us through. During this time we get so hungry we start routing through our shopping to see what there is to eat.
Because we are so late back, we have to throw ourselves back on the boat, unload just the perishable items into the fridge, get a sandwich together, have a drink, visit the loo then in less than 15 minutes we are getting into a taxi to go back to the Gatun Locks for our tour. We go with Judith, Joe, Jared and Tom from Brown Eyed Girl, all managing to squeeze ourselves in with Henry the driver, who is a colourful character.
The tour gives us an incredible insight into what is in store for us in two days’ time. When we arrive, a fully loaded container ship is just exiting the last lock and heading out to the Caribbean.
Photo: One transit complete – bound for the USA or Europe?
The Gatun Locks are two series of three locks, a dual carriageway if you like. Sometimes the traffic is two way, sometimes, like this afternoon, it all goes the same way. It can cost nearly $100,000 to use the canal if you are a huge vessel. It makes our poultry $900 look like a real bargain.
Photo: Gates fully open to let a ship pass
By the time we get to the viewing platform, there are another two ships in place and the lock gates are opening to let them through. There are two gates so that the locks can be operated independently. The ships move under their own steam (or with the aid of a tug), and 8 trains hold their lines, 4 on either side, keeping them in place. It’s an incredible sight watching these monsters disappear into the locks, and they only have a couple of feet either side of the canal.
Photo: The gates close
Photo: The ships enter the lock
Photo: Out the other side
When these huge ships move forward the disturbance in the water is incredible. How the walls of the canal survive I have no idea.
When the ships leave the last lock the trains have to go back down the steep slope, still attached by their steel ropes.
It’s non-stop today. Apparently there are 37 ships like this booked in for transit today in one direction or another, and to me at least, it all seems to be working like clockwork.
We go back to the marina and Judith and Joe come over to Jeannius for a look. Joe is a committed monohull sailor and is worried that he may have palpitations (at least) on a catamaran (remember, this is the man who took a photo from Fort Louis, St Martin, of a cannon lined up on a catamaran), but he climbs aboard anyway. Lest he denies it later, we photograph him and Judith at the helm.
They are surprised that they like the interior, but they do – wash your mouth out! They stop for a beer and some ginger cookies and when they leave we go for our afternoon nap.
In the evening we clear out the other stern cabin ready for Penny and Peter who arrive in the morning, then after some more of our black fin tuna and salad, it’s time for bed.
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